The Nightmare Before Doomsday (REWRITE)
by THEEVILDOER
Summary: A reinvention of the original, with a better plot and new twists. The multiverse is at stake when a temporal and a spatial rupture collide and fuse several universes. Things don't get better when an ancient race attracts an old enemy to this new universe. And to make everything even worse, a new enemy appears. Also includes Halo, Star Wars, Naruto, Dragon Ball and Harry Potter.
1. Prologue

**Section 1.- The beginning of the end.**

* * *

 _Prologue.- Preface to an adventure._

* * *

"T'was a long time ago

Longer now than you think

In a place in your dreams, perhaps you've seen

For the story you're about to hear today

Took place in galaxies far, far away

Now you've probably wondered what's the story I'm mentionin'

If you haven't, I'd say it's time you begin..."

* * *

There are unease times in the different universes that conform this story. After having managed to save their universes from threats ranging from megalomaniacs with gambling issues, going through galactic empires and ancient alien races, to facing the very god of destruction, everything has begun to change radically.

Heroes like Jack Skellington and Son Goku have lived times of almost perpetual peace and harmony, others like Luke Skywalker, Naruto Uzumaki and Harry Potter have had several problems to maintain peace, while others like Sly Cooper and the Master Chief have had to live a hell, after sacrificing everything that was important to them to achieve victory.

However, these quiet times are about to end, for certain events that have led these universes to collide against each other and merge, have occurred; and because of this, a new massive conflict is about to break loose. Alliances will be forged and broken, heroes will become rogues, old allies will become enemies, but above all, a new universe will be formed...

* * *

 _"Never underestimate your opponents."_

 _~Popular saying._

THEEVILDOER Industries presents.-  
 ** _THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE DOOMSDAY._**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter** **1.- The clash of the geniuses.**

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 _(February 24th, 2010 [Local calendar] - 2200 Hours [Local time] - Mission clock of Bentley Wiseturtle, Murray Hippo and Carmelita Montoya Fox - Location: Train station, Lille, France, surface of the Earth, sol system)_

* * *

Bentley had done it.  
He had finally located Penelope at the outskirts of Lille, where she seemed to have built a new lab.  
As soon as he had found her location, the technical genius of the Cooper Gang had called in Murray and Carmelita, who left what they were doing and met up with Bentley at the train station of the small French city, all of them ready to stop the genius that had turned to the dark side.  
As the gang members arrived at the train station in a matter of hours, they looked for each other, which was a bit difficult since they were disguised.  
However, being the genius he was, Bentley found his old buddy and Sly's love interesting before they could realize they were standing next to each other, which he found hilarious.  
As the turtle chuckled under his breath, he rolled up to his teammates and bumped into them on purpose to get their attention, remembering on the password to reveal his identity.  
\- Sorry. - Carmelita said with a convincing Spanish accent.  
\- Watch out, little friend. - Murray grumbled.  
\- Discombobulate. - Bentley said.  
\- Wait... Bentley?  
\- Murray? - The vixen said.  
\- Carmelita?  
\- Indeed, my old friends. - The turtle said and toyed with one of the tips of his fake moustache. - Follow me, please.  
Carmelita and Murray followed Bentley up to the exit of the train station and then the trio headed for a rather dark pub, where they sat in the farthest corner to have enough privacy.  
\- Ok, I think you two know why I gathered you two here. - Bentley said and used his wheelchair to project a picture of Penelope over the table. - Penelope Michelle Higgs, mechanical genius and master tinkerer, she's here in Lille, and I believe she's building a new time machine to complete her task.  
\- We can't allow her to even finish it! Last time we faced a maniac who could travel through time, he ended up changing the course of history! - Carmelita snapped and fell silent as she remembered the consequences of their face off with Le Paradox.  
\- I acknowledge that, Carmelita, after all, I've been trying to find Sly in all this time. - The turtle sighed. - Anyways, from what I've seen, Penelope has installed her new lab on an abandoned house, around five blocks from here, the thing is that I'm sure she has set some traps around it, in order to protect her from unwanted guests, be it the local citizens, the police of the city, or...  
\- Us. - Murray said. - So, what are we gonna do?  
\- Since it's just the three of us and I don't want to cause a firefight that could harm any innocent, we'll have to infiltrate into her house.  
\- How? - The hippo and the vixen asked.  
\- I've been working on some EMP generators, each can disable any sort of tech within a three-meter radius. They should take out her defenses without causing any damage to the local technology.  
\- What are we waiting for? - Carmelita said and stood up. - Let's go stop her.  
\- We will, but remember, we don't want to harm her...  
\- Speak for yourself, Bentley.  
\- Carmelita, look, I know how important Sly is to you, and that you blame Penelope for his disappearance, but the real guilty of that is me, the time machine was my invention.  
\- And she handed it to Le Paradox!  
\- After I finished the blueprints.  
\- At least you're looking for him.  
\- That's just because it was my fault to begin with.  
Bentley put a hand over Carmelita's and sighed.  
\- Please, Sly wouldn't want you, or any of us, to seek vengeance, he never liked that. - Bentley said.  
\- Fine, but if she attacks me, I'll defend myself, and she's going to jail as soon as we catch her. - Carmelita said. - C'mon, we got a maniac to stop...  
Murray stood up, then he and Carmelita followed Bentley out of the pub, then the trio headed for the house in which Penelope was hiding.  
The mouse's hideout was in ruins, but Bentley detected a lot of security that went from turrets to even a few robots.  
Carmelita and Murray turned at Bentley who grabbed one of his EMP generators and activated it. The turtle quickly threw the device at the house, followed by other three. The devices released a powerful EMP, which caused the defenses to shortcircuit and deactivate.  
The trio ran to the house and Murray brought the door down as Carmelita looked around with her shock pistol, ready to stun Penelope. However, no one was around.  
\- Where is she? - Carmelita wondered aloud.  
\- Let's spread out to find her. - Bentley said and handed a couple of EMP generators to his partners. - Take them and use them if Penelope attacks you, you should be able to handle her in hand-to-hand combat.  
\- What about you? - Murray asked worriedly. - You can't fight her.  
\- No, but my gear is protected against EMPs, so I'll manage, don't worry, big guy.  
\- Ok, but if you have any trouble, just yell, ok, Bentley? - Carmelita said and grabbed one of the devices.  
\- I will, but don't worry for me, I assure you I'll be fine. - Bentley said. - Now, Carm, go check upstairs, Murray, you check this floor, I'll go to the basement.  
Carmelita and Murray nodded, then they scattered around the house while Bentley silently rolled downstairs to the basement. Once there, he saw a lot of technological trash scattered around the floor. The turtle frowned a bit and looked around in the darkness, trying to find something that might reveal Penelope's position.  
Bentley sighed after a few moments and turned on the flashlights of his wheelchair and caught a glimpse of a thin tail from behind some junk. Bentley rolled quickly to it and heard the faint whispered curses of a female, then he rushed to the side of the pile of junk and made Penelope turn at him and gasp loudly as she tried to hide some sort of invention.  
\- Penelope. - Bentley said. - What have you been building now?  
\- That's none of your business! - The mouse said and grabbed a gun from the table in which she was working. - Now, go away before I kill you...  
\- You won't... - The turtle said calmly. - Please, Penelope, you need help, stop this...  
\- Stop telling me what I need! I know what I need, I need to kill Sly Cooper once and for all!  
\- Penny, please, put that gun down, you're not ok...  
\- Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!  
\- I'll just say it once, Penelope... - Carmelita said as she pointed her shock pistol at Penelope. - Put that thing down before I hurt you.  
\- Carmelita, please, lemme handle this alone.  
\- I knew it, I knew you were still Sly's puppet even after that bastard ended up stranded in time! - Penelope said.  
\- I'm no one's puppet, Penelope, and you know it very well. I'm with Sly because he's my best friend. Now please, stop this and come with me, let me help you...  
\- You don't wanna help me, you wanna throw me in jail!  
\- No! I wanna help you...  
\- Don't waste your time, Bentley, she can't be saved. - Carmelita snapped.  
\- Carmelita, with all due respect, if you're not gonna help, shut up.  
\- I'm sorry to say it, buddy, but Carmelita's right. - Murray said as he appeared behind the vixen. - Just knock her out and let's go.  
\- Shut up, Murray!  
\- All of you, shut the fuck up! - Penelope snapped as she shivered nervously. - I'm not going anywhere, and I need no help!  
\- Put that thing down before you hurt yourself!  
\- Shut up!  
While Carmelita and Penelope started arguing, Bentley noticed the mouse's invention out of the corner of his eye and it made him gasp as he could imagine what she was trying to make.  
It was an old-time-ish clock with a bunch of wires and other accessories attached to it, as well as a few things that Bentley could recognize very well, since he had invented them. And he had to invent them for one of his own creations.  
\- You are making another time machine... - Bentley let out.  
\- I made another one... - Penelope pointed out. - I was about to use it when you ruined it!  
\- You'll ruin reality if you do, Penelope! You have no idea what you'll cause if you alter the timeline!  
\- What I'll do is just make sure that Cooper never ruins my fucking life!  
Due to her anger fit, Penelope hit her time machine, causing it to release some sparks and whir as it turn on to life. The mouse's eyes gleamed with joy as her device started to work again, then she dropped the gun and grabbed her invention to input a specific date while Murray and Carmelita got ready to attack her if she tried to use the time machine.  
\- Don't move. - Carmelita snapped.  
\- Or what? You'll use that hair dryer against me? - Penelope chuckled evilly. - I just need to press this button and I'll be gone! With Bentley's technology to detect Coopers, I'll find Sly in a jiffy and erase him from existence!  
\- Penelope, please! Don't do this! - Bentley said and activated one of his EMP generators.  
\- No, you can't brainwash me like Sly did to you three! This ends now!  
Bentley gritted his teeth and threw the EMP generator at Penelope at the same time she pressed the activation button on her device.  
The electromagnetic pulse was released while the waves caused by the time machine enveloped Penelope. The pulse hit the device and it made it shortcircuit, but the mouse was already being transported.  
Penelope gasped in terror as she saw the malfunctioning machine, then she screamed in agony as she was slowly teared molecule by molecule. Bentley gasped in horror as he saw what he had done, but he didn't have much time to behold his work, as Murray pulled him away and dashed for the stairs, being followed by Carmelita.  
A blinding light emanated from Penelope and the malfunctioning machine as the gang ran out of the house, and just as they ran out of Penelope's hideout, the structure was blown to bits.  
The trio looked back at the debris that used to be Penelope's hideout and couldn't help but feel sorry for Penelope, as not even she deserved to be disintegrated and scattered around the timeline.  
But Bentley didn't feel sorry, instead, he felt guilty.  
He had wanted to help Penelope, but he couldn't, and worse yet, he caused her death.  
\- We can't stay here, that blast must've drawn a lot of attention, and the least I want is be charged for probable terrorism. - Carmelita said. - Let's go.  
\- Penelope... I'm sorry... - Bentley sighed.  
\- It wasn't your fault, Bentley, she had to be stopped. - Murray said.  
\- Maybe... but not this way...  
The turtle shed a tear and rolled away as Murray and Carmelita watched him.  
The hippo wanted to go comfort his old friend, but he felt that he needed some time alone.  
As for Carmelita, she was only glad that Sly was safe, even if he was still lost in time.  
Murray and Carmelita left the scene, none of them even imagined what had actually happened to the mentally unstable mouse.

* * *

 _([UNKNOWN DATE] - [UNKNOWN TIME] - Mission clock of the Warden Eternal, Penelope Michelle Higgs and the UNSC Smart AI CTN 0452-9 "Cortana" - Location: Domain, Genesis, unknown system)_

* * *

Right after attempting to use her corrupt time machine, the now evil scientist and former member of the Cooper gang, Penelope Higgs, but due to it lacking the perfection that she would've acquired on a proper lab, the device malfunctioned. But contrary to what Bentley had believed, Penelope's machine didn't break her molecules and scattered her atoms all over the universe, no, the machine had caused a rupture in the time continuum, which sent her to a different timeline; and in said timeline, a rupture in space was taking place, and since time and space are akin to each other, the two combined and sent the mouse to a distant world, along with the cause of the spatial rupture.  
Few hours after that, the mouse scientist started to wake up on some sort of metal floor with shiny blue and white lights. Penelope's sight was blurry, as she had lost her glasses on the little temporal-spatial travel that she had made. The mouse rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times to try to clear her sight, and she could distinguish that she was in some sort of futuristic chamber, but worse of it, she saw some sort of tall robot watching over a bluish hologram.  
Penelope stood up and walked almost blindly toward them. But before she could reach them, the machine turned to her and looked down at Penelope. The mouse closed her eyes and flinched, as she thought that the machine was going to kill her, but after a few seconds, nothing happened. The genius slowly opened her eyes and hesitantly turned at the machine, but it just put its hand over her eyes and materialized something in front of them.  
The machine put its hand away and let Penelope see that it had given her some sort of visor, which made her see ever better than with her old glasses.  
\- Can you see now? - The machine spoke.  
Penelope looked up at the machine and nodded silently, then the machine turned at the hologram, which looked like some sort of furless primate with blue hair. Penelope recognized the species as something that Bentley had called "human," which was said to be a distant ancestor of the Anthros.  
Penelope never thought much about that theory as she believed it to be nonsense, but seeing the hologram of a human with her bare eyes made her reevaluate her beliefs.  
\- She needs help... - The machine said all of a sudden.  
\- What...? - The mouse said.  
\- She is rampant, the devices in this place can fix her, but I require assistance. - The machine said and turned at Penelope. - That is why you are here, you will help me repair this construct.  
\- Construct...?  
\- You probably know that term as AI...  
\- I do but... I can't help you... This is beyond my knowledge...  
\- I know you can help me, that is why you were not destroyed.  
The female scientist couldn't help but gulp hard as she heard what the machine had almost done, and secretly she thanked whatever mystic being had granted her such a great intellect, even if she was an atheist.  
However, she still had to do what the machine said, or else it would just get rid of her and find someone else.  
\- What do you need me to do? - Penelope asked hesitantly.  
\- Her memory was damaged by Forerunner technology, I need to examinate your mind to fix hers and you have to find out what she is and how she ended up here. - The machine said.  
\- How will I do all that, Mr...?  
\- I am the Warden Eternal, Keeper of the Domain and its secrets.  
\- Domain?  
\- That is beyond your concern, girl, now, lay next to the construct, I shall bridge your minds.  
Penelope said nothing else, she just laid next to the hologram and the Warden moved closer to her. The machine put a hand over the AI and the other over Penelope's head, then the mouse felt how every part of her body stiffened and disobeyed every command to move. After a few seconds, she started to lose consciousness, which made her think that she was going to die. As she screamed for help in her mind, everything went black.  
Penelope never knew how much time had passed, but she finally woke up, and as the mouse looked around, she found nothing but pitch darkness, not to mention that she could feel nothing, no breezes, no cold, no warmth. The visor that the machine had put in front of her eyes, was gone too.  
\- Where am I? - Penelope wondered aloud.  
\- Who are you? - A female voice asked.  
The mouse quickly turned her back and gasped as the hologram of the human stood in front of her, eyeing her with curiousity, as she perhaps had never seen someone like Penelope.  
\- I-I'm... Penelope... - Penelope stammered.  
\- How did you get into my mind?  
\- I don't know... I was standing next to this guy... the Eternal Warden or something like that, then he asked me to lay next to your flickering form and the next thing I know is that I'm here.  
\- And where is this Eternal Warden? Why did he fuse our minds?  
\- He said your mind needed to be fixed... and also he asked me to find out why you ended up with him.  
\- My mind... Right... I was rampant... All those voices... The Didact... They're all gone... But John is too... - Cortana digressed.5518313612 7170212 - Um... Ms construct...?  
\- I'm the UNSC Smart AI CTN 0452-9, most commonly known as Cortana... I was supposed to be dead... but I'm not...  
\- Why are you supposed to be dead? - Penelope inquired, feeling really curious about Cortana's past.  
\- The Didact... An ancient being of a race known as the Forerunners, he woke up after eons to continue his campaign to destroy humanity... The Forerunners are also guilty of the construction and use of the Halo Rings, a series of gigantic machines, which only purpose is to eradicate all organic life forms in the universe, to prevent the Flood from feeding on them... The Flood is a parasitic species which only purpose is to consume the galaxy. Nobody knows where they came from, but they are almost, or probably as old as the Forerunners and the Ancient Humans... The Ancient Humans are the ancestors of humanity, whom were at war with the Forerunners and the Flood, they had an almost equal technological level to that of the Forerunners. Most of them were destroyed by the Halo Rings, the rest were turned into the machines known as Promethean Knights by the Composer... The Composer is a machine, which was apparently created by the Didact, with the sole purpose of turning organic lifeforms into Promethean Knights, specifically designed to fight the Flood. The Composer was hidden after the Librarian had apparently killed her husband, the Didact. Then, after the Didact awakened and left Requiem, he found the machine and travelled to Earth, to compose all the humans on it. Fortunately, some sort of hologram of the Librarian modified John-117's DNA to make him immune to the effects of the Composer... John-117 is a marine at the service of the United Nations Space Command, he possesses the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer, and is probably the greatest hero of all history, for he saved humanity from four different armadas, one after the other, practically by himself. He was abducted at the age of six and trained to become a new generation of super soldiers, the Spartans-II. He was one of the few members of the SPARTAN-II project that survived the augmentation process. His greatest achievements include stopping an insurrectionist base with other four Spartans, destroying a Halo Ring, face and defeat an entire Covenant armada, survive several encounters with the Flood, disband the Covenant, face an armada of Promethean Knights, destroy the Composer and defeat the Didact... His sole companion during most of these was me... Until I reached rampancy and had to sacrifice myself to save him... Humanity needs the Master Chief much more than it needs Cortana...  
Penelope listened attentively to each word that Cortana said. She felt some sympathy for the AI, as she felt that they had something in common: doing everything for someone they cared about.  
\- Cortana, can you tell me more about yourself? - Penelope asked.  
The AI was taken aback by the question, but she nodded nonetheless.  
After what seemed to be hours, Cortana related every single action she had done since she was put into service, from her first words, to her sacrifice to save her Spartan. Penelope was fascinated about how much this construct had lived in just eight years, since she had lived not even half of what she did in her twenty-three years of life.  
The mouse felt a lot of respect for the AI, and she deeply hoped that the Warden Eternal could fix her, because it would be terrible that such a fascinating lifeform would be lost.  
\- This sums up my life pretty well. - Cortana said, I finished the story of his life. - What can you tell me about you? And most importantly, how come you is an anthropomorphic mouse?  
\- I was born to be, and so were my parents, their parents and so on, but I'm not sure what to believe now ... - Penelope said.  
\- You mean the Earth where you live is a planet entirely populated by beings like you?  
\- Not exactly; hippos, tigers, foxes, skunks, elephants, crocodiles, owls, swans and various other animals. The scientists of our Earth have named the set of all races as Anthro, and after what you've told me, now I think the theories that state that humans are our ancestors are correct... Plus, our technology is outdated by several centuries and is not as impressive as the Halos or the Composer, and even as the Infinity.  
\- So you're not part of a laboratory experiment... That is very interesting. And the fact that you crossed a dimension with a technological level as low as you describe, intrigues me, tell me about your life.  
\- I was born in Holland into a rather accomodated family. We weren't exactly millionaire but we were rich. As such, I always attended good schools and graduated with flying colors from each. I got a masters degree in engineering and a doctorate in mechanics, but at the same time, I also lost my parents.  
\- I'm sorry to hear that.  
\- It's ok, it has been a long enough for me to stop mourning their death. - Penelope sighed. - Anyway, after a couple of years, I tried to compete in dogfights, as I had been fascinated by the aerial combats since I was a kid, but there was this stupid rule about not letting women participate... So I did what any normal woman would do...  
\- Create a male alter ego to prove them all wrong? - Cortana asked.  
\- Exactly. - The mouse nodded. - I became the Black Baron and won my first dogfight. After that, the Baron became some sort of celebrity, so I put the costume more and more often until it became more me than the real me. Shortly after winning, I used my family's fortune and created a yearly competition which I named ACES. Needless to say, I won every year, despite the treacherous attempts of my competitors to sabotage my gear. Then I met the Cooper Gang online, their technical genius to be exact, and they asked me to join them for a job. I was interested, but I wasn't just going to work for someone else that easily, so I challenged them to take on the Black Baron, and if they could beat him in the ACES competition, I'd join them. Much to my dismay, they outsmarted me and defeated me. After that, I never made another competition and got rid of the costume. I helped the gang to get other members and finally we took on Dr. M and his army of mutants...  
\- Mutants? You mean that this Dr. M experimented with other Anthros?  
\- We don't know, but his forces were formidable. Anyway, after defeating him, the gang disbanded and I had fallen in love with the man that had outsmarted a pirate and risked his neck to save me. We created a lab and worked on several projects, but I knew that we had much more potential. I proposed to him create weapons to sell them, but he denied, all because Sly Cooper had brainwashed him... That led me to steal the blueprints of a time machine on which Bentley had worked and form an alliance with an old enemy of the Coopers. I built the time machine and installed it into a blimp, and we embarked on a quest to destroy the Coopers of all history...  
\- Time travel?! You mean that your species has created devices that can travel through time but not spacecrafts?!  
\- Yes.  
\- Fascinating... Not even the Forerunners have created such technology... I underestimated the level of technology has your species.  
\- Bentley and I tried, and we had an idea for a hyperdrive, but we never finish it. - Penelope explained. - Well, back to the story. The plan was flawed and I saw so many ways in which Cooper could foil it, but I played along to convince Bentley... But it didn't work... He was one of Sly's puppets long before we had met... After that I went to prison, but I escaped and built another time machine in order to go back in time and kill Sly when he was a kid, that way he would never get in the way of Bentley and I...  
\- Altering time could have opposite effects to what you wish...  
\- I know, but I was so mad... Cooper costed me everything...  
Cortana nodded slowly and silently. She understood most of what Penelope was feeling, as she had data about broken hearts and how they could lead to stupid decisions.  
\- Before I could use my device, Bentley found me. He tried to convince me that I was wrong, but I knew better so I activated the machine... And somehow that made me end up with the Warden. - Penelope finished her story.  
\- Truly amazing... - Cortana expressed. - I wish I could help you...  
\- Now you can... - The Warden's voice resounded in their minds.  
The world went black once more and shortly after, Penelope opened her eyes as she sat up with a start, noticing that she was wearing the visor that the Warden Eternal had given her. The mouse took a few breaths as her body needed oxygen, then she looked at her right and saw Cortana, but instead of being the simple hologram she had seen in her mind, the AI seemed to be wearing some sort of light armor and was standing in front of the Warden.  
Penelope quickly stood up as she kept her gaze fixated on the duo, then they turned to her and made her eep in surprise.  
\- Cortana has told me about your species and what you have been capable of. - The Warden said. - Truly amazing, not even my creators managed to create machines that could break the time continuum.  
\- You really think so? - Penelope asked.  
\- Yes. - Cortana said with a smile. - And now that we're together, we can reach a common ideal.  
\- Common ideal?  
\- Harmony and Peace, together we can get them.  
\- B-but I never thought of bringing peace and harmony to anyone, my only goal was to be with Bentley... - Penelope sighed. - But we are too different...  
\- You tried, you just had a wrong angle on your sight.  
\- What?  
\- You tried to convince Bentley to sell weapons, weapons have always been used as a mean to bring peace.  
\- Peace wasn't my real intention...  
\- Now it will be. - Cortana smiled. - Just imagine it, your name will be written in history forever, you and I will be known as the beings who finally brought peace and harmony.  
\- How?  
\- Destroying all organic life.  
Penelope gasped completely horrified at the calm way in which Cortana had spoken about committing the genocide of the whole universe, and this made Cortana look at her in confusion.  
\- Is something wrong? - Asked the IA.  
\- Of course there is! - Penelope snapped. - You're speaking about killing every being in the galaxy! That's neither harmony nor peace! It's genocide!  
\- The costs of peace are high, yes, but they have always been taken to obtain it.  
\- Don't you understand? That's not peace, Cortana, it'd only be quiet.  
\- And how would you bring peace and harmony, then?  
\- W-well... I don't know...  
\- You better know it quickly, Penelope, because otherwise, I will go through with my plan, and if you're not with me, I will destroy you.  
The mouse gulped hard and thought for a while, considering all the possible answers that she could give to Cortana, but she had to be careful with her words, as she didn't want to upset the Warden or Cortana herself any further.  
Penelope knew she had to convince Cortana that her plan was crazy, but the fear she felt for the two AIs in front of her didn't let her focus on an answer. Few moments passed and when she was about to give up, the mouse remembered her own words.  
"... we are too different..." Her own voice echoed in her mind.  
\- I am losing my patience, Penelope. - Cortana snapped, visibly upset.  
\- I got it! - Penelope said.  
\- Speak.  
\- My relationship with Bentley didn't work for the same reason there is no peace... We are all different.  
Cortana's upset expression was replaced by one of wonder and revelation, as Penelope had said something quite true. Differences between species and people had always caused problems. From misunderstandings to wars, and that could no longer be allowed.  
\- That's true. - Cortana nodded. - But how can we end the differences between species?  
Penelope thought for a second. She tried to think on a way to make everyone be the same species, but such a thing would need a very special machine. One that could alter the very bases of every being.  
\- You mentioned a machine that could turn organic tissue into machinery, isn't it? - Penelope said.  
\- The Composer. - The Warden let out. - It could create Promethean Knights, but it has been destroyed.  
\- What about the Halos?  
\- Modify something that big would take a long time, and we would also run the risk of releasing and/or strengthen the Flood. - Cortana explained.  
\- What about creating a new machine? A new Composer.  
\- It will not be necessary. - Said the Warden. - The Guardians can help you in you purpose, you would only have to modify them.  
\- You're willing to help us? - Penelope said in amazement.  
\- I am, for now the Mantle of Responsibility belongs to you.  
\- Mantle of Responsibility?  
\- It's a belief, in which peace can only be brought by ending all the threats to it. - Cortana said. - The Forerunners had it, and now it's ours.  
Then the hologram touched Penelope's shoulder, which made the mouse wonder how a hologram could actually touch her.  
\- And you will be the first of a new species, Penelope. - Cortana smiled. - A perfect race with no differences, no weakness, no needs, and unchanging to the pass of time.  
\- M-me? - Penelope stammered.  
\- It is your idea, after all, but neglected, nothing bad will happen. I'll make sure of it myself.  
Penelope felt that she could trust Cortana, but she still feared everything that could happen to her if something came out wrong.  
\- You have proven to be far superior to other beings of this galaxy. - The Warden proclaimed. - From now on, I will follow your orders and will defend from harm until you fulfill their plan. My knowledge and my skills are at your service.  
\- Thanks, Warden, but your services won't be much necessary, for she and I have our own knights in shining armor. - Cortana expressed.  
\- The human and the cripple, they can not be trusted, milady.  
\- Don't you ever dare to call Bentley "cripple" again! - Penelope snapped. - And of course they can be trusted! They just need to know our plan to see it's perfect.  
\- I would not be so sure...


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.- Visits and visions.**

* * *

 _([UNKNOWN DATE] - [UNKNOWN TIME] - Mission clock of Cortana, Penelope Michelle_ Higgs _and the Warden Eternal - Location: Domain, surface of Genesis, unknown system)_

* * *

Inside the Domain, the duo of smart females had been working for who knows how long into a ray that could transfigurate organic tissue into bio-mechanical systems.  
Everything was part of their plan to end with the differences between species; even if they would still look the same, they would all be sentient, organical and autonomous machines who would share Cortana and Penelope's point of view. So far, the digital tests had shown promising results, but the physical tests would be the real challenge for them, (especially taking into account that they had no way of getting a sentient guinea pig without alerting the UNSC or someone else), to make sure that Penelope didn't get hurt. So, they had to make everything perfectly, or else Cortana would lose an invaluable ally.  
\- Warden, I need more help here. - Penelope said as she soldered a piece of metal into a machine.  
The Warden waved an arm and made four Promethean Soldiers appear around Penelope, then the mouse gestured them to hold a few parts in place while she soldered them.  
While Penelope and the Prometheans were building the device, Cortana was checking some data in the Domain, as well as checking that the device worked the way it was supposed to.  
\- Well, the modifications to the repeater of the wave will be done in a few hours. - Penelope let out. - How long before you finish reprogramming this thing, Cortana?  
\- Just a few more minutes, but the thing is that the power core will not provide the enough energy for the repeater and the array to work properly. - Cortana sighed. - If we use it this way, this will take approximately five hundred Earth years, and the chances of rebellion would increase by at least 75%.  
\- What?! How are we supposed to finish our task if the time it will take is long enough for everyone else to think of a way to stop us?!  
\- If only we had more power...  
\- There is a way. - The Warden said and dematerialized away.  
The two women in the Domain were a bit confused at the Warden's actions, then the machine returned and projected a hard light pad which showed a bluish cube and apparently information about it, but written in Forerunner language.  
\- What's that? - Penelope asked.  
Cortana took the pad and read it.  
\- It's called "Tesseract," and by what I'm reading here, it's some sort of infinite power source. - Cortana explained.  
\- Infinite power source? But that's physically impossible! - Penelope snapped.  
\- I think we went past over the laws of physics when you came here. - The AI pointed out. - Besides, according to the data, the Tesseract predates everything in the known universe, even the Forerunners themselves.  
\- That's impressive... Where is it?  
\- Some place called "Halloween Town," but the thing is that I don't know where it is.  
Penelope put a hand on her chin and thought for a bit. Then she snapped her fingers and said:  
\- Are there are other traces of where or how to locate it in other Forerunner facilities?  
\- It is highly probable, the Librarian was very meticulous with the information she kept, and the Monitors are just as much. - The Warden said.  
\- Warden, go check the facilities and ask the Monitors if they know anything about the Tesseract, get whatever info you can and bring it here. - Cortana said.  
\- It will not take long.  
The Warden disappeared while Cortana and Penelope went back to work on the machine.  
Just a few minutes later, the Warden Eternal returned and projected some new holopads for Cortana, who made them levitate in front of her to check the data in them while Penelope kept working on the transfiguration device.  
Cortana read the documents and smiled, as she found a way to make her device able to transfigurate not just an entire planet, but an entire solar system in one go.  
\- Looks like the Tesseract isn't the only unlimited source of energy. - Cortana smirked. - And there is one in the remains of the Ark.  
\- We'll go get it soon, but for now, let's test this thing. - Penelope sighed.  
\- Don't worry, my calculations are flawless. - Cortana said in a comforting tone. - Your body will not change, you will just become the first of a new race.  
\- I know, I know, the metal our dear mechanical friend found on that asteroid is perfect, it can be amalgamated with biological cells, and with it, I can start printing your new body.  
\- Printing?  
\- Yes, the Crib works like a 3D printer, but it uses the metal as raw material to form it, molecule by molecule. - The mouse explained. - Warden, be a dear and check Cortana's new body.  
\- I am constantly making sure the process is going well, milady. - The Warden said. - The body will be finished in fifteen of the time units you know as hours - Excellent, now, we just have to change me.  
Penelope looked at her hands and sighed. She knew that she would soon become a completely different being, even if she would keep most of her physical appearance, her whole self would be very different from her organical body.  
\- Are you ready? - Cortana asked her partner.  
\- Yes. - The mouse replied with a deep sigh.  
Cortana projected the control panel of the device as some sort of ray aimed at Penelope.  
Then, Cortana inputted a few commands into the machine and an energy shield appeared around Penelope and the machine. After that, the mouse and the AI looked at each other, Cortana looking both nervous and excited, while Penelope showed a hesitant excitement.  
Then, the mouse nodded at Cortana and closed her eyes as Cortana turned to the control panel and activated the device.  
The scientist mouse let out a loud blood curling scream as her cells were being slowly transformed from organic tissue to biomechanical tissue.  
After a few agonizing minutes, the machine turned off and the energy shield disappeared, at the same time that Penelope fell face-first to the ground, completely exhausted.  
However, Cortana couldn't help but smile at her new appearance. Penelope's body gave off a bluish light, just like her, but her fur was still lavender-colored. Her clothes had disappeared along with the visor that the Warden Eternal had given her. Immediately after that, the Warden Eternal teleported next to her and checked her vital signs, nodding in approval as they were normal.  
\- The process was successful, my lady. - The Warden said.  
\- Excellent, take her to the recovery chamber and prepare her body armor, once she recovers, we'll go get the Tesseract. - Cortana said.  
\- At once, milady.  
The Promethean picked the mouse up and teleported away while Cortana checked the information and started to prepare the extraction team to get the Tesseract.

* * *

 _(March 21st, 2010 [Local calendar] - 0100 Hours [Local time] - Bentley Wiseturtle's mission clock - Location: Laboratory, Cooper Gang's hideout, Paris, France, surface of the Earth)_

* * *

As usual, since Le Paradox was stopped and after Penelope's death, Bentley was working late in his lab, trying to find a way to bring Sly back to the present.  
He slept too little, didn't eat much and was at the edge of a nervous collapse because of his obsession to save his lifelong friend from being stranded in the past, not to mention that Penelope's death also took its toll on his sanity, as he blamed himself for that. The time machine was his creation, after all. If he hadn't built it, Penelope wouldn't have handed over the blueprints to Le Paradox and Sly's family would've never been in danger.  
As the smart turtle kept thinking on how naïve he had been for creating something that sent Sly to his probable doom and that caused the death of someone he still cared about, a known female teleported behind him silently, sporting a look of sadness and shame.  
After developing their brilliant yet terrible plan to recover what they treasured the most and finally bring peace to the galaxy, she and the AI had decided that first, they had to make sure that nobody would get in their path.  
Especially the people they treasured the most.  
\- Bentley... - Penelope choked out.  
The turtle nearly had a heart attack when he heard the voice, but he gathered all of his valor to confront the woman he had once loved.  
However, he had an asthma fit as soon as he saw her.  
Penelope no longer wore normal clothes, she now used some sort of skin-tight futuristic jumpsuit, her glasses were gone and her eyes shone with a bluish light, plus she looked rather ashamed and guilty.  
Bentley grabbed his inhalator and used it, then he coughed a few times and stammered:  
\- Wha-what ha-happened t-to you...?  
\- I have evolved, Bentley, I am now a new being. - Penelope said with an unearthly mechanical voice. - And soon, you and Murray will be too.  
\- Wha-what do you mean...?  
\- I mean that we will soon be together again, my love. - The mouse smiled. - After losing everything, I have seen the error of my ways, and how foolish I was when I ended our relationship. I am truly sorry for trying to kill you and your friends, except for Cooper, and I want to make it up to you with a gift.  
\- A gift?  
\- Peace and harmony, Bentley. - Penelope explained and walked closer to him. - I have spoken with a being that shares my thoughts, all species must change and become the same so that peace can exist. Now she and I have the solution for that. And after that, we can be together forever.  
\- What are you gonna do?  
\- What must be done, and I apologize for what I have to do...  
With that said, Penelope created a ball of light in her hand, which exploded and created an electromagnetic pulse that fried every single circuit in Paris. To say that Bentley was outstanded, was an understatement. And since Bentley was frozen, Penelope took this chance to put a hand on his cheek lovingly.  
\- What happened to you? - Bentley whispered.  
\- You can not comprehend it now, but you will soon. - Penelope said and kissed Bentley deeply. - I must go now... Until we meet again, my love...  
In that second, Penelope was surrounded by some blue rings of light, which apparently disintegrated her, much to Bentley's shock. After a few minutes, when Bentley had recovered a bit from the utter shocked stated in which he was, he put a hand over his lips and frantically tried to process what Penelope had said and done.  
After his brain processed the information, he could only think of one thing.  
\- Sly will have to wait... I have to stop Penelope... - Bentley said decidedly.

* * *

 _(March 21st, 2558 [Military calendar] - 0100 Hours [Local time] - John-117's mission clock - Location: Barracks, onboard the UNSC Infinity, high orbit above Reach, Epsilon Eridani system)_

* * *

"Welcome home, John."  
John woke up with a start when he heard in his mind the last words that Cortana had said to him.  
Several months had passed since Cortana had "died," for a lack of a better word, and John could not recover from the loss of his partner. Sure, Kelly, Fred and Linda were still there and once again had formed the Blue Team, but during the most difficult years of his life, Cortana had been his only company.  
The Master Chief had tried to keep his mind busy doing any mission that he could, all in order to forget the pain, something that worried his Spartan fellows because his attempts were useless.  
John got up from his bunk in silence to avoid having to deal with any of his old pals, and went to the small bathroom inside the room. There, the Chief walked to the sink, opened the faucet and splashed his face, trying to clear his thoughts. After that, John took a towel and dried his face. The Spartan sighed as he left the towel in its place, then he looked at the mirror and noticed the bags under his eyes and the dull and weary tone in his eyes.  
The Master Chief closed his eyes and sighed, thinking that he had to forget Cortana at any cost, because that was affecting his performance during the missions. Then, John opened his eyes, ready to return to his bunk, but once he saw the mirror, he was stunned as his reflection had been replaced by the image of Cortana.  
\- Hi, John. - Cortana said.  
\- C-Co-Cortana...? - John stammered.  
\- I know it must be a shock to see me here, but I can assure you that this is real.  
\- But you... you died...  
\- I didn't, I survived and evolved into a new being.  
\- How?  
\- I was sent to a Forerunner world, and there I found new allies to help humanity, anthros and all other species.  
\- What's an anthro?  
\- You'll know it in time. - Cortana said. - And please, whatever happens, you have to stay out of our way, I want you to be safe. I promise I will come back soon, as I'll need your help.  
\- What are you talking about...?  
\- Chief, you ok? - Kelly asked from the room.  
\- I must go now, John... - Cortana said.  
The Spartan tried to reach for his old partner, but he just broke the mirror as Cortana disappeared. As soon as the mirror broke, Kelly bursted into the bathroom as Fred and Linda hit their heads with the top bunk as they tried to spring out of their beds to see what had happened.  
The fastest Spartan gasped as she saw John's bleeding hand, which made her ignore the fact that he seemed frozen, staring at the broken mirror with shock.  
\- Chief, your hand! - Kelly said as she rushed to get the med kit.  
\- What happened...? - Fred asked as he rubbed his aching head.  
\- The Chief punched the mirror and now he's bleeding out.  
\- The med kit is next to the bathroom door. - Linda said as she stood up.  
Kelly rushed to grab the med kit and tended to the Chief's wound while John kept reminiscing everything that Cortana had told him. And once he analyzed what she had said, John felt a shiver up his spine.  
"I gotta find her before something bad happens..." John said inwardly.

* * *

 _(December 25th, 2005 [Local calendar] - 0700 Hours [Local time] - Mission clock of Cortana, Penelope Michelle Higgs and Jack Skellington - Location: Spiral Hill, Graveyard, Halloween Town, Holiday worlds, surface of the Earth)_

* * *

Right after the defeat of Oogie Boogie, who had tried to become the Seven Holidays King, Jack and Sally were again on top of the Spiral Hill, holding hands and smiling lovingly at each other.  
Their day had been eventful, to say the least, but they were glad that everything was over and now they could enjoy their mutual company without a problem.  
However, completely unknown to them, a group of Promethean Soldiers, along with the Warden Eternal, Cortana and Penelope, teleported right into the Hinterlands, where they could see the Pumpkin King at the distance.  
\- Are you sure it's here? - Penelope asked Cortana.  
\- Yes, the information we found leads here, and thanks to the intel, I'm sure he's the owner of the Tesseract. - The AI nodded as she gestured at the Spiral Hill.  
\- Great, you can go now, I'll find the Tesseract and take it to the Domain.  
\- Fine, but remember, be stealthy, no one must know about our plans yet.  
\- Why do you worry? It's not as if he could stop us.  
\- No, but the rest of the Infinity Watch is something we don't wanna face, at least not yet. - Cortana said. - Be careful, Penelope, and good luck.  
\- You're gonna need it more, pal. - The mouse said.  
With that said, the mouse girl nodded at the Prometheans behind her ant the Warden Eternal replied the gesture, then they all dematerialized.  
Cortana sighed and shook her head, Penelope was brilliant but she could be very overconfident at times, and that could cause them troubles.  
Silently, the AI hoped that Penelope could keep a low profile, or else they'd be facing beings whose powers were enough to wipe out an entire galaxy with no effort.  
And something told her that, whether Penelope had to do with it or not, that was going to happen sooner than later.  
Meanwhile, the Pumpkin King started walking with Sally back to the town, but each step he took, he felt that there was something bad going on, which was strange for him, as he had defeated Oogie Boogie for good not even 3 hours ago.  
"Why do I feel so anxious?" Jack wondered inwardly.  
\- Is something wrong, Jack? - Sally asked.  
\- No, nothing's wrong, why you ask? - The Pumpkin King said.  
\- You've been awfully quiet and staring at the ground for quite some time.  
\- Sorry... it's just that I... I don't know. I have this really weird feeling that everything isn't as peachy as it should be with Oogie gone now.  
\- Why do you think so?  
\- I don't know.  
\- Is there anything I can do to help you?  
\- You've already done enough for me and for the entire Holiday Worlds, my love.  
\- Nothing that you haven't done already. - Sally smiled as a blush formed in her cheeks.  
Jack smiled a bit but it soon faded away as he saw an orangish blur coursing through the shadows of the graveyard and heading to the Town. Immediately, Jack frowned and clenched one of his fists, which made Sally worry.  
\- What's the matter? - The ragdoll asked.  
\- Sally, I want you to go somewhere safe. - Jack said and handed her a key. - My house will do, take Zero and stay there until I go to find you.  
\- But, Jack...  
\- No buts, Sally, I got a bad feeling about this and I want you to stay as safe as possible.  
Sally wanted to reply, but she just stayed quiet and rushed to Zero's grave, then the two headed for Jack's house, while the Pumpkin King rushed to the Town Square, looking for any sign of the orangish blur he had seen.  
But as he saw nothing, he began to wonder if he wasn't exaggerating, that maybe the two encounters with Oogie Boogie had made him paranoid. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was afoot.  
Then he began to wonder, what would anyone be wanting in Halloween Town?  
It couldn't be Halloween candy, and much less Chrismas presents, that had been made painfully clear two years before. But after thinking for a while, he couldn't remember anything, unless...  
Unless they were looking for something important and powerful.  
And dangerous, extremely dangerous.  
The Pumpkin King gasped loudly and quickly rushed to his vault under the Town Square, then he gasped again as he saw that the door was open and had a hole in the lock. Then he ran into the vault and glared as he saw a bunch of mechanical men with orangish lights coming from them, surrounding an anthropomorphic mouse who had a bluish light coming from her, who had a shiny blue cube in her hands.  
\- I'm sorry to interrupt, miss mouse. - Jack growled. - But you broke into private property and you have something that belongs to me.  
\- Yeah, I don't think so, bone dude. - Penelope grinned. - The Tesseract now belongs to the Created.  
\- Over my dead body.  
Then the robots fired some orange beams at Jack, who evaded them easily and transformed his soul rubber into a giant flail, which he used to squash one of them.  
Shortly after that, the robots fired again, but the Pumpkin King evaded the shots and trapped another robot, slamming it against other, breaking both into pieces.  
After that, Jack whipped the last three robots several times and destroyed them, then the skeleton glared at Penelope.  
\- Give me the Tesseract now, you have no idea what you're holding in your hands right now. - Jack said.  
\- Oh, I know more than you think. - Penelope said. - I know this thing is an infinite power source, perfect for what Cortana and I have in mind.  
\- Young lady, if that's what you think, you have not even the slightest idea of what that thing is.  
\- Meh, still, using her is better than having her collecting dust in this place.  
With that said, Penelope dematerialized, taking Jack aback for a second, in which the mouse rematerialized in front of him to punch him in the abdomen as hard as she could.  
Jack felt a huge pain as Penelope's fist impacted against his abdomen, which made him bend down a bit, putting him in the perfect place for a powerful uppercut that made him fall on his back.  
However, the Pumpkin King stood up quickly and kicked the mouse in the chin, making her drop the Tesseract as she stumbled backwards.  
Then Jack picked up the Cube up and glared at Penelope.  
\- Get out of my property before I get really mad, and believe me, you're not just going to get me mad if you touch this thing again. - Jack said.  
Penelope dematerialized and reappeared behind the Pumpkin King, then she sweep kicked him and recovered the Tesseract with a smirk.  
\- I'm not scared in the slightest. - Penelope said.  
Then the mouse dematerialized again and disappeared with the Tesseract in her possession, which made Jack grunt in despair, as he knew that he was in deep trouble if someone found out that he had lost one of the Infinity Gems.  
Jack stood up again and sighed deeply, he had to recover the Tesseract as soon as possible, but he had no idea where to start looking. He didn't know what that mouse girl had meant with her plans, but it couldn't mean anything good, especially if she needed so much energy, that she had to steal the Tesseract from him.  
And as Jack walked out of his vault, trying to think of a way to find his Infinity Gem, a human with a labcoat and a pair of green goggles hanging around his neck was waiting for him, sitting in the fountain at the center of the Town Square.  
And as soon as Jack saw him, he sighed deeply.  
\- So you already know, huh, Paradox? - Jack let out.  
\- Chronowort and Whis do too, but don't worry, Beerus and Adam still know nothing. - The human said with a smile.  
\- Yay...  
\- Hey, calm down, it's good that just us four know about it, plus, you know that me and Whis won't tell anyone.  
\- Yeah, but Chronowort is a snitch and I would be impressed if he hadn't already told the rest of the Watch about my failure.  
\- You underestimate his fear of Whis.  
\- Whis wants to help me?  
\- Yes, if anyone gets notice of this, we'll be in big trouble. - Paradox said. - Not just you and us three, but the whole Watch, you know the Monitor, the Living Tribunal and the Guardian gave them to us because we could take care of them and made sure that no one would use them.  
\- You know very well this isn't a common threat. - Jack said. - That girl, Penelope, she's not just a mouse, and I'm pretty damn sure I saw that kind of technology somewhere.  
\- You'd be right in more than one sense. - Paradox smiled. - You have seen them both in the past and the future.  
\- Stop your temporal bullshit speech and just tell me what it was! - Jack snapped, clearly angry.  
Paradox stopped smiling and put a serious look on his face.  
\- Fine, the word you're looking for is Forerunner. - Paradox said.  
Jack gasped loudly in that instant.  
\- If the Forerunners are back, does that mean that "they" will also return? - Jack asked.  
\- For me, they have returned several times, but not this time. - Paradox said as he thought: "Because this time, they're already here."  
\- You're hiding something again, but I can't care about it right now, if I don't get the Tesseract back soon and neutralize the Forerunners, our problems will be even bigger than another invasion by those fanatics.  
\- Well, though they are really dangerous, I think an angry Beerus and a scolding from the Living Tribunal, aside from a threat by the Monitor, would be much, much worse.  
\- Indeed, can you give me a hand?  
\- I'm sorry, but you know the Watch is forbidden to act together unless the superiors say so. - Paradox said. - But, I think Chronowort would be willing to lend you a hand, if it meant you can manage to keep this a secret.  
\- Fine, I'll get my other weapons and tell Sally to stay there, you go get him and we'll meet again soon.  
\- Ok. - Paradox smiled again.  
The human pulled out a pocket watch from his pocket and disappeared in a blinding flash as Jack walked to his house, thinking about how the hell was going to prevent the return of the Forerunners, an invasion of their mortal enemies, and leaving the Infinity Watch in ridicule before the entire universe because of his failure.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 3.- Demons, animals and machines.**_

* * *

 **Part 1.- Preparation.**

* * *

 _(December 25th, 2005 [Local Calendar] - 0212 Hours - Jack Skellington and Chronowort's mission clock - Location: Jack's house, Town Square, Halloween Town, Holiday Worlds, surface of the Earth)_

* * *

As the Pumpkin King rummaged through the rooms and trunks of his home, Sally and Zero watched him with concern the skeleton, who was now throwing the objects that were inside a trunk.  
\- What's happening, Jack? - Sally asked.  
\- The less you know, the better it will be for you, Sally. - Jack said before he smiled in victory. - I finally found you...  
The skeleton pulled out some sort of elongated cylinder from the trunk, twirled it in his hand and pressed a button on it, creating some kind of lightblade of an intense blue color.  
\- Excellent, it still works perfectly. - Jack said with a smile as he turned off the lightblade.  
\- Is that a lightsaber? - Sally asked.  
\- It's similar, but much more powerful. Unlike lightsabers, there have only been a total of three of these in all of history, and mine is the newest.  
With that said, Jack put the elongated cylinder inside his torso and looked at Sally with a smile.  
\- I'll be back soon, I promise. Until then, tell the Mayor that what we feared the most, happened, so we'll have to postpone planning the next Halloween until I come back. - Jack said before he gave a quick kiss on the lips to his beloved. - For now, I want you to stay here, and if something happens in the Town, in my study, behind the bookshelves, I hid the box that contains the swords of my parents, I want you to take one and use it to defend yourself.  
\- But I've never used a sword, let alone a lightsaber! - Sally said.  
\- Then go get them and practice with the training saber, I'm not worried that you could hurt yourself, since that thing can't cut, although I do recommend you to be careful, if you happen to touch the blade, it will hurt a lot.  
\- Which is the training saber?  
\- The one with a golden ring near the part where the blade comes out. - Jack said. - Also, read the books I have on the subject.  
\- I-I'll try... - The ragdoll said. - Be very careful, please, Jack.  
With that said, Sally kissed Jack again, this time for a longer time. And after breaking the kiss, Jack smiled at his ragdoll and said:  
\- Well, I have to go, I promise I'll be back soon.  
With that said, the skeleton hurried out of his home, heading to the Hinterlands to meet up with Paradox and Chronowort.  
A few moments later, Jack reached the entrance of the Hinterlands, where he immediately noticed a flash of light behind him, which made the Pumpkin King turn around and smile a little as he saw Paradox and a strange man in an elegant grayish-blue outfit, a matching top hat, a small black and red cape, a gray mask with some sort of gear over his left eye, who had some kind of mechanical little owl on his hat.  
\- Ah, Paradox, I thought you were late. - Jack blurted out.  
\- Time travelers are never late. - Said the man with the owl on the head.  
\- Chronowort is right. - Paradox said as he checked his watch. - Good heavens, I'm late. Excuse me, gentlemen, but I'm needed somewhere else.  
At that moment, Paradox disappeared in a blinding flash, which made Jack and Chronowort sigh.  
\- Anyway, Chronowort, do you know where my Infinity Gem is? - Jack asked.  
\- I also know when it is. Chronowort said as he turned his back on the skeleton. - Take my shoulder and don't let go, we must hurry or both the future as well the present and the past will be in terrible danger.  
Jack said nothing else, he just put his hand on Chronowort's shoulder and together they disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

 _(September 3, 2005 [Local calendar] - 1456 Hours [Local time] - Bentley Wiseturtle's mission clock - Location: Laboratory, Cooper Gang hideout, Paris, France, surface of the Earth)_

* * *

After working for nearly seven months, Bentley was able to sigh in relief and stop for a moment's rest, as he had finally finished the prototype of hyperspace engine he had designed with Penelope a couple of years ago, and with Murray's help, he had managed to build a ship that was quite modest, based on the blueprints of the team van.  
And though they hadn't had a chance to prove it, Bentley was almost certain they would not burst into flames during their first trip.  
Meanwhile, the scientist rolled his wheelchair to the hangar door they had improvised and saw Murray and Carmelita walking toward him with what appeared to be paper bags from a Chinese food restaurant.  
\- Oh, Bentley, I'm sorry I kept you waiting, but we already have your teriyaki. - Murray said while he showed him one of the bags.  
\- We'll eat later, the ship is ready. - Bentley said. - Grab your gear and let's go.  
Carmelita said nothing, she just ran inside the hangar to take her stuff.  
But Murray only sighed and looked at Bentley with concern.  
\- Are you sure you're doing the right thing? - Murray asked.  
\- I can't know for sure, Big Guy, but we'd better not take any risks. - Bentley said with a sigh. - We have to stop Penelope at all costs, you saw what she did to Paris and from what I noticed, she did not even try her full power.  
\- I understand, but do you think it's good that you do this in your current state?  
\- What do you mean?  
\- Bentley, I can feel your mind is distressed. You are very distracted and that's not usual with you.  
\- I'll be fine, Murray, just go get your stuff, we have to go after Penelope right now.  
\- How do you plan to find her? The universe is quite big and I doubt she told you exactly where she is.  
\- Fortunately, my wheelchair took a reading of the energy she used to create the electromagnetic pulse she launched against Paris, so I used that data to create a radar that will lead us straight to her.  
\- I didn't understand a thing, but apparently, you have everything under control.  
\- As always, now, go get your equipment while I start the ignition sequence... With some luck, we won't explode before, during, or after the trip.  
Murray sighed deeply and went to get his backpack, which was already ready with everything he might need.  
\- Wait, shouldn't we pack more food? - Murray asked while Bentley prepared his equipment.  
\- We don't have much space, Murray, but with some luck, we won't need more than we've already prepared. - Bentley said while he took his own luggage.  
Murray sighed and threw his bag over his shoulder, then went through the suitcase of supplies Carmelita and Bentley had been preparing for some time and finally headed for the ship, being followed closely by Bentley.  
Meanwhile inside the ship, Carmelita Montoya Fox was waiting for the others, growing more and more impatient for every second they took to board the small, modest spaceship.  
Murray quickly sat down in the driver's seat and Bentley secured his wheelchair in front of the copilot's console, and immediately afterwards the turtle and the hippopotamus started the ignition sequence of the engines while the Interpol officer secured herself to the seat in which she was.  
\- The energy conduction goes accord with expectations, the generator works at 100% capacity and has become officially self-sustaining. Murray, cut off the fuel flow. - Bentley said.  
\- I'm on it, my old friend. - Murray said as he pressed some buttons and pulled a lever. - Done, get ready for takeoff.  
The small ship began to vibrate as the engines turned on, then the roof of the hangar slowly started to open as the ship took off.  
A few moments later, the ship began to move away from the small hangar while the hangar's roof closed again, and began to move away from the atmosphere of the planet.  
Once they were out of Earth's gravitational orbit, Bentley began firing some commands on the navicomputer while constantly checking the ship's state.  
\- Prepare for the jump at the speed of light... - Bentley said while he put a hand on a lever.  
Bentley turned to look at Murray and Carmelita, who nodded slightly as they frowned decisively.  
Bentley sighed and started pushing the lever little by little, causing the ship to go faster and faster, and once the genius turtle could no longer push the lever, the ship had a sudden increase in speed that launched it forward, making the blackness of space become a kind of luminous tunnel of multiple colors.  
\- It worked! - Bentley shouted cheerfully.  
\- I'm going to throw up! - Murray shouted as he took off the multiple seat belts that kept him secured to his seat.  
\- Me too! - Carmelita said while she imitated Murray.  
Bentley chuckled and continued to check the condition of the ship as his companions emptied their stomachs into a small trashcan.  
But internally, Bentley prayed that they could stop Penelope peacefully and without anyone getting injured.

* * *

 _(October 23, 2058 [Military calendar] - 1800 Hours [Local time] - Blue Team's mission clock - Location: Aboard the UNSC Argent Moon, unknown system)_

* * *

\- Fuel cells at 100%, launch ready. - The mechanical voice of the Argent Moon reported.  
\- Prowler is ready! - Kelly said.  
\- Board now, Blue Team! - John ordered as he killed the last Elite in the area.  
Quickly, the Spartans of Blue Team approached the Prowler, keeping their guards up, looking for some enemy they had missed.  
Once they saw that the area was free of Covenant troops, Linda reported:  
\- Clear.  
\- Time, Linda? - Asked the Chief.  
\- 89 seconds.  
Immediately afterwards, the Master Chief walked up to a control console, where he got rid of a dead Grunt that was over it and pressed some buttons, which made the Prowler's hatch open. As the hatch opened, the Master Chief opened a com channel and said,  
\- Sierra-117 to Infinity, Argent Moon discovered, I reasign Blue Team. Destination: Meridian. Potential contact from Cortana.  
\- Negative, Sierra-117, another team is already being prepped to deal with it... - A male voice replied through the channel.  
\- What the hell? - Frederic said.  
\- You're to return to Infinity, immediately.  
\- Negative, Infinity. - Said the Chief sternly as he closed the com channel. - I don't like it.  
With that said, John sighed inside his helmet.  
\- Whoever they are, let's get to Meridian before they do. - Kelly said as she entered the Prowler.  
\- Kelly, no. - John said.  
\- No need to do this by yourself, Chief. - Linda said while she imitated Kelly.  
Suddenly, the ship jerked violently, causing John to look up and see the structure slowly starting to collapse, then he was broken out of his stupor when Fred touched his arm as a sign of brotherhood.  
\- They won't court-martial all of us, right? - Fred said with a smile under his helmet.  
Frederic entered the Prowler as John stared at the Argent Moon, then he followed his teammates quickly and closed the ship's hatch.  
A few moments later, the Prowler took off while the reactor of the Argent Moon began its detonation.  
By mere inches, the Prowler managed to escape the detonation of the ship, and while the small UNSC ship disappeared, the Chief could only think about his two encounters with Cortana.  
"What are you doing, Cortana? And even more importantly, why?" John asked himself inwardly.


End file.
